Centre to consider making milk adulteration punishable by life term: SC

Supreme Court has said that offenders found guilty of adulterating milk with harmful chemicals should spend their life behind bars and directed the central government to raise the penalty to deal with the menace. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said Friday it is desirable that Centre revisits the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to revise punishment for adulteration making it more deterrent in cases where the adulterant can have an adverse impact on health. 

The apex court said it will be in order, if Centre considers making suitable amendments in penal provisions at par with the provisions contained in



the state amendments to the IPC. The court said the present six-month imprisonment is hardly a deterrent. 

The verdict, written by Justice Banumathi, asked the State Food Safety Authority (SFSA) to identify high risk areas where chances of milk adulteration are more during festivals. 

In all, the Supreme Court issued ten directives, at a time when over 68 percent of milk sold is not conforming to the standards laid down by the food regulator FSSAI.  The directives include identification of high risk areas, setting up labs and milk testing vans and spreading awareness through a newly established website.